Less than a year after announcement, Joss Whedon is off of the upcoming Batgirl movie. Whedon told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement that "it took me months to realize I really didn’t have a story."

The full statement:

Batgirl is such an exciting project, and Warners/DC such collaborative and supportive partners, that it took me months to realize I really didn’t have a story," Whedon told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement. Referring to DC president Geoff Johns and Warner Bros. Picture Group president Toby Emmerich, Whedon added, "I’m grateful to Geoff and Toby and everyone who was so welcoming when I arrived, and so understanding when I…uh, is there a sexier word for ‘failed?’

There really is no sexier way to put it: Joss Whedon failed at bringing Batgirl to the big screen before it even really started.

Joss Whedon is often seen as a pioneer in feminist pop culture, creating the cult classic television show Buffy, the Vampire Slayer in 1997.

But times have changed since then, and female empowerment is usually better received if it’s handled by, well, females. Hollywood Reporter noted that industry sources added the studio feared backlash resulting from a man writing a strong female character such as Batgirl. There is word yet on who Warner Bros. will replace Whedon with as of yet.